Tuscan Bread Salad with Fresh Mozzarella and Basil (Tom Douglas)

UPDATED 2020

This recipe comes from Tom Douglas' restaurant, Dahlia Lounge, and is in his cookbook, Tom Douglas' Seattle Kitchen.   It is soooooo good!

---Barbara

Tuscan Bread Salad

Serves 4 generously

For the mustard vinaigrette:
2 T. red wine vinegar
1 t. Dijon mustard
1 t. minced shallots
1/2 t. chopped fresh thyme
1/2 t. minced garlic
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper

For the salad:
4 slices rustic bread, 1 inch thick
extra virgin olive oil
24 oil-cured black olives, pits removed
1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, cut in half
6 ounces fresh mozzarella, sliced or cubed
4 cups loosely packed flavorful salad greens, such as mache, radicchio, arugula, spinach, romaine, endive, washed and dried, torn into bite size pieces
1/2 cup thinly sliced fresh basil
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
4 lemon wedges
Freshly ground black pepper

Make the vinaigrette, will store in the fridge up to a week.  Bring to room temperature and whisk before using.

Liberally, oil the slices of bread then grill on the grill or under the broiler until golden.  Remove and use a serrated knife to cut the bread into bite size cubes.

In the serving bowl, put the bread in with the olives, tomatoes, mozzarella and greens.  Mix the basil into the vinaigrette.  Pour it over the salad and mix well.

Divide the salad among 4 plates.  Scatter with Parmesan and pine nuts and garnish with a lemon wedge.  Offer ground pepper at the table.

B